1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an antenna apparatus for an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable electronic devices evolved into smart phones capable of providing various functions to meet users' desires. For example, the portable electronic device can listen to a variety of music using Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Audio Layer-3 (MP3) sources, enjoy web browsing using wireless Internet, or download various programs using this connection, in addition to a basic telephone call function with a called party.
The portable electronic device is equipped with at least one high-pixel image pickup device (i.e., a camera lens assembly) and thus can take a picture of a subject. Particularly, there is a recent tendency that a function of taking not only a still picture but also a moving picture, and more specifically, a 3-dimensional (3D) picture, is becoming more common.
Further, the portable electronic device includes a broadcasting communication module and a broadcasting antenna apparatus, and thus is able to receive terrestrial broadcasting through a display. This communication terminal can provide broadcasts chiefly divided into Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (TDMB) (Korea), Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) (Europe), One Seg (Japan), Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) (Central and South America), and the like, for example.
In general, a broadcasting antenna apparatus is built in the electronic device to have a predetermined length (commonly, 100 millimeters (mm) to 110 mm) according to a Radio Frequency (RF) characteristic. The broadcasting antenna apparatus is constructed in a retractable type such that, at broadcasting reception, a user can extend the broadcasting antenna apparatus from the electronic device to the maximum for use and, at broadcasting non-reception, the user can retract the broadcasting antenna apparatus into the electronic device to increase the ease of carrying.
On the other hand, it is a development tendency that while the electronic device provides all various functions, an aesthetic design often changes to be more pleasing and physically smaller. Accordingly, device manufacturers are racing to minimize the electronic device while developing better corresponding functions of assemblies included in the electronic device, and as a result reducing the volume of the electronic device.
Particularly, in addition to the communicating main antenna apparatus, various supplementary antenna apparatuses such as a WiFi antenna apparatus, a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna apparatus, and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) sub-antenna apparatus are all mounted in one electronic device. Therefore, if the respective antenna apparatuses are positioned near each other, they may suffer mutual interference due to coupling and, as a result, radiation performance of a corresponding function may degrade. Accordingly, device manufacturers are focusing on developing installation space allotment capable of avoiding mutual interference between these antenna apparatuses while reducing a wasted space of the electronic device.
Particularly, if the communicating antenna apparatus is installed around the broadcasting antenna apparatus, the communicating antenna apparatus goes through performance degradation due to unexpected coupling with the broadcasting antenna apparatus. For example, the communicating antenna apparatus installed around the broadcasting antenna apparatus suffers performance variation depending on the extension and retraction of the retractable type broadcasting antenna apparatus. This is a cause of reducing the reliability and usability of the electronic device.
Accordingly, to mitigate the performance degradation, other antenna apparatuses should not be installed around the broadcasting antenna apparatus, and more specifically, should not be installed around a bushing fed from a broadcasting module of a substrate (e.g., a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)) and installed to support the broadcasting antenna apparatus and its supplementary connection means (e.g., a C-clip). This wasted space is a problem with regard to the recent trend of device slimming and multifunction.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for an antenna apparatus for an electronic device that provides multi antenna use while minimizing interference and wasted space.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.